International Workshop intra-regional learning and technology transfer as a tool for adaptation to climate change in East African drylands

Background:

Climate change in Africa is expected to lead to a horizontal and vertical shift of agro- ecological zones and an increased variability of rainfall, with detrimental effects on food production and livelihood systems (IPCC 2007). Adaptation will thus have to cope with growing risks, especially in semiarid regions. Appropriate technologies for water supply and water use will be essential in the quest for sustainable development.

In current climate change debates, the notions of adaptation, adaptive capacity, adaptive learning and adaptive governance are often used with rather vague and partly even contradictory meanings. Conceptual ambiguity also surrounds the concept of technology. This may lead to misunderstandings between researchers, policy makers and local actors, and it may even cause the failure of project activities that aim at supporting adaptive processes. Consequently, there is need to clarify the conceptual basis of adaptation and technology transfer in order to improve efficiency of external support. This is not only a matter of terminology. Other keywords of interest for the debate at the workshop are intra- regional learning, innovation and translation.

Numerous research and development activities are presently being undertaken to support processes of adaptation in the region. However, the emerging field of adaptation research still leaves some gaps that have so far received little attention:

(1) There is a lack of in-depth empirical and comparative work on adaptation and institutions. Adaptation to climate change will require tremendous social and institutional adjustments in the coming decades. But neither the institutional conditions necessary to facilitate adaptation and an intra-regional transfer of technologies within the East African region nor the adaptive capacity of institutions have been systematically assessed yet.

(2) The role of local knowledge, learning and adaptive technologies deserve more attention, especially with respect to context-specific negotiation, diffusion and adoption processes.

(3) As compared to other regions, there remains a relatively high level of uncertainty about future climate change in East Africa, which renders adaptive development more difficult. This uncertainty has not been given adequate attention in the formulation of adaptation initiatives in the region.

Objecttives:

The overall objective of the workshop is to explore the social, cultural and institutional conditions for building adaptive capacities through intra-regional knowledge and technology transfer. More specifically, it shall focus on the following themes:

1) The assessment of past and present water-related adaptation initiatives in East Africa
2) The conceptualization of adaptation and technology
3) The role of local knowledge and learning for the building of adaptive capacities
4) The institutional conditions for the transfer of knowledge and technologies
5) The translation of knowledge into practice 6) Methods, tools and indicators to research adaptation and adaptive capacity

The outcomes of the workshop will provide useful insights in the formulation of a future research agenda. Furthermore it is intended to publish key contributions in a selected peer- reviewed journal.

Organization of the workshop:

The workshop presents a platform for exchange of experiences and lessons learnt between a limited number of African and European stakeholders from research, policy and development practice. It combines key note presentations and short contributions of other participants with small group and panel discussions on selected topics.

The conference is organized by the Centre of Natural Risks and Development, Bayreuth University, Germany and the German Development Institute (DIE) in collaboration with Moi University, Kenia and CETRAD (Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development).